2015年7月31日

引座員 I dwell in Possibility, Emily Dickinson

劇場(house)的頂層座位也稱為天堂(paradise),帶位引座員(usher)期盼在這裡遇到最好的客人與小費。

劇場比一般房屋美好,有許多如門一般的大窗,柏木包廂讓貴賓擁有隱私,包廂與頂層座位,對下方觀眾來說像連綿不斷的天花板,層層複折到劇場的屋頂。引座員這職業最美好的客人,寬闊灑落小費於他的小手中。

I dwell in Possibility- 我生活在期盼中
A fairer House than Prose- 比平凡房屋更美好的劇場
More numerous of Windows- 許多數不清的窗
Superior-for Doors- 更適合用來當門
   
Of Chambers as the Cedars- 於柏木的房間
Impregnable of eye- 目光難以穿透
And for an everlasting Roof 連綿不斷的天花板
The Gambrels of the Sky- 層層複折到屋頂
   
Of Visitors-the fairest- 最美好的客人
For Occupation-This- 對於這職業
The spreading wide my narrow Hands 寬闊灑落我狹小的手
To gather Paradise- 收集小費於頂層座位

1862, F.0466, J.0657

艾蜜莉.狄金森(Emily Dickinson, 1830-86)在文字的各種可能(possibility)中思索(dwell),她的詩比一般文字(prose)要更美好。如同劇場,她的謎語有許多窗口,適合不同閱讀的方法(door),但有神聖的柏木保護,目光難以穿透,還有連綿不斷的限制(roof),層層通過後才得見光明(sky)。對這娛樂(occupation)最美好的尋訪者(visitor),是寬闊打開艾蜜莉限制(narrow)的寫法(hand),艾蜜莉這位引座員要的不是小費,而是聚集讀者於這文字的樂園(paradise)

Paradise has the usage of something wonderful, and the gallery of a theatre which recorded in OED 7 since 1873, but it appeared already in 1859. This poem was written in 1862.
There are five rows of boxes at the Moscow Opera-house, besides an amphitheatre, and a gallery, or "paradise," which occupies the whole of the top tier. ─ The National Magazine, Volumes 5-6 (1859)